Arc of Light and Arc of Darkness
by Hyper Librarian's Daughter
Summary: A Final Fantasy III Arc-centric story in which the scholarly ex-Warrior of the Light dreams of himself with his soul and body separated and fighting each other. Will his light-powered soul prevail against his body possessed by the Cloud of Darkness?


_Arc of Light and Arc of Darkness_

"We've put in a full day, Arc. It's off to bed we go."

The ex-Warriors of the Light, consisting of Luneth, Arc, Refia, and Ingus, became exhausted from spending time with each other. They climbed into their large bed.

"Well, good night," Arc said.

"Good night, Arc," Luneth said.

All four fell asleep quickly. Only Arc fell into a dream…

The dream began with Arc waking up in the World of Darkness. He walked along the trail of stars until he found the one foe responsible for throwing light and darkness off balance: the Cloud of Darkness, a belittling monstrous woman with the black heart on her forehead and the tentacles protruding out of her cape.

"We are the Cloud of Darkness," the female monster said. "Even though our plans to return the world to nothingness have been thwarted by you meddlesome children, we still live."

"Cloud of Darkness…" Arc said.

"If it isn't the intellectual boy with the strong light," said the Cloud of Darkness. "We will not stop pursuing our goal of returning everything to nothing, so you will be our sacrificial victim. Your light is essential for fulfilling our plan. Let us take you over."

The Cloud of Darkness rushed into Arc, going inside his body. Arc quickly used his mind to separate his soul from his body—this is his psychic power of astral projection. His soul carried the light within him. Though the Cloud of Darkness failed to absorb the light from Arc, she did, however, take over his body.

Animated by the Cloud of Darkness, Arc's body got up. He was still the same Arc, but he possessed the Cloud of Darkness's notable features: the black heart on his forehead and the tentacles, which now protrude out of his coat.

Arc's soul focused the light within his core. _Let the power of light give me strength. _Light shone from the core, consuming his soul. He was still the same Arc, but intense light energy ran through him, making him nearly white. _With the power of light, I awaken. Enter…Arc of Light! _His nearly white soul glared at his possessed body. _Cloud of Darkness… No! You are now…Arc of Darkness! I shall expel the darkness from you and regain my body back!_

"Your light is truly powerful," the Cloud of Darkness in Arc's voice said. "It makes us want it even more, and we will fight you with it!"

Arc of Light and Arc of Darkness began to clash with each other. They parried each other's blows, with Arc of Light using the Omnitome and Tome of Light to turn aside Arc of Darkness's tentacles and vice-versa. Each one sniped from afar with magic, with Arc of Light using Thundaga, Holy, and Flare and Arc of Darkness using Particle Beam enhanced with Thunder and psychic energy, and dodged each other's spells. The battle between Arc's light-powered soul and possessed dark body went on as night in reality passed by, and eventually both became exhausted.

"We shall not…stop…until all…is returned…to…the…Void," the Cloud of Darkness in Arc's voice said. "Your light…is…ours…!"

Arc of Light quietly panted. _Though…the Void…shall…consume all, it…is still…not time… Be gone, Cloud of Darkness, once…and for…all…!_

While Arc of Darkness charged up a Thunder-and-psychic-energy-enhanced Particle Beam, Arc of Light charged up an aura of light deep within his core. Arc of Darkness unleashed his Particle Beam, but Arc's light-powered soul managed to evade the dangerous beam by an inch. He unleashed a bolt of light energy at his possessed dark body. Consumed by the light, Arc of Darkness fell backward, and the Cloud of Darkness emerged from his body, fading away.

"No…!" the Cloud of Darkness said. "Defeated by a child of light, again…!" She disappeared from the World of Darkness.

Arc's soul, no longer bathed in light, rushed to his lifeless body. His body's forehead no longer bore the black heart, and no tentacles protruded from the coat. His soul reunited with his body…

…And Arc awakens, in his bed in reality. He heard a familiar voice.

"Arc, it's time for tea and scones!"

The voice belonged to his best friend Luneth, who brought a tray with scones, a pot of tea, and teacups and laid it on Arc's lap. Refia and Ingus arrived, each eating a scone.

"Good morning, Arc!" said Refia.

"Good…morning, Refia," Arc said.

Refia took the pot from the tray and poured blueberry tea in the teacups. She gave each of the teacups to the boys and kept one for herself. Luneth and Arc each took a scone and ate it.

"Goodie, I love the blueberry flavor," said Arc.

The four ex-Warriors of the Light spent their peaceful, quiet interlude over scones and tea.


End file.
